Employer-at-injury
program (EAIP)Helping employers return injured workers to work

The
Employer-at-Injury Program encourages the early return to work
of injured workers. It provides incentives to employers that
return their injured workers who have open claims to transitional
work. Employer use of the Employer-at-Injury Program is voluntary.
The insurer responsible for the workers claim administers
the program and requests reimbursement for program costs from
the Workers Compensation Division. Reimbursed program
costs dont increase employers insurance costs. Program
reimbursements include wage subsidy, worksite modification,
and certain purchases.

Wage
subsidy

Fifty
percent of a workers gross wages if the wage subsidy started
before 7/1/13, or 45% if the wage subsidy starts on or after
7/1/13. No matter when the start date, the reimbursement is
limited to a maximum of 66 work days. Reimbursement is based
on the return-to-work wage.

Worksite
modification

The
rental, purchase, or modification of equipment up to a maximum
of $2,500 to allow the worker to perform early return-to-work
job duties within the injury-related limitations.

Employer-at-Injury
Program purchases

Items
a worker needs to do the job. Purchases may include:

Tuition, books, and fees for a course of instruction to update
existing skills or to meet the requirements of the job. Maximum:
$1,000

Tools and equipment mandatory for the job that are not already
owned by the worker.

Clothing required for the job that is not normally provided by
the employer and not already owned by the worker. Maximum: $400

Worksite modification and tools/equipment purchases are limited
to a combined maximum reimbursement of $5,000

Worker
eligibility

To
be eligible for Employer-at-Injury Program incentives, the worker
must meet the following criteria:

Have an accepted, compensable Oregon on-the-job injury or
occupational disease

Not be released for regular work

Employer
eligibility

To
be eligible for Employer-at-Injury Program incentives, the employer
must meet the following criteria:

Maintain Oregon workers compensation insurance coverage

Be the employer at the time of the workers initial claim
or claim reopening

Reemploy an eligible worker in early return-to-work while
the claim is open

How
does an employer use the Employer-at-Injury Program?

The
employer contacts the insurer responsible for the workers
claim to ask for help to meet program eligibility requirements
and to obtain program assistance. Employers may use program incentives
only once for each opening of the workers claim. The insurer
will help the employer:

Identify an early return-to-work position

Obtain a qualifying medical release for work from the workers
medical service provider

Make necessary purchases

How
reimbursement works

Within
one year after a workers participation in the Employer-at-Injury
Program ends, the employer submits all insurer-required documentation
to the insurer. The insurer requests a one-time reimbursement
for program costs from the Workers Compensation Division.
To qualify for reimbursement, the insurer must have the following
on file:

Dated
copies of the workers work release(s)

Documentation of the workers early return-to-work position

A copy of the workers payroll records for the wage-subsidy
period

Copies of receipts for any modifications or Employer-at-Injury
Program purchases

Documentation of the workers injury-caused obstacles
to employment and how the modifications overcame these obstacles,
if applicable

Rules
governing EAIP

The
information on this webpage summarizes the Employer-at-Injury
Program. Oregon Administrative
Rule 436-105 describes program requirements in further detail.
To request a copy of the rules or for additional information about
the Employer-at-Injury Program, employers and workers should contact
their workers compensation insurer or the Workers
Compensation Division at:
800-445-3948
503-947-7588

For
further assistance

The
Department of Consumer & Business Services has another program,
the Preferred Worker Program,
for Oregon employers and workers. The Preferred Worker Program
encourages reemployment of qualified Oregon injured workers. Preferred
Workers can offer valuable incentives to employers that hire them.
For more information, call 800-445-3948.